Automatic coupler for toy cars



May 30, 1933. BECKER 1,912,249

AUTOMATIC COUPLER FOR TOY CARS Filed Jan. 2, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY M y 30, 1933. H. s: BECKER ,912,249

AUTOMATIC QOUPLER FOR TOY CARS Filed Jan. 2, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a Iuvam'on Harry 1511312075362;

WITNESSES y 1933. H. s. BECKER I 1,912,249

AUTOMATIC COUPLER FOR TOY CARS Filed Jan. 2, i929 s Sheetg-Sheei s INVEHTOR lyarry 5.1360397}. Han/E5555." I

V 3 HARRY S. BECKER, OF RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN FLYER MFG.

ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 00., or CHICAGO,

AUTOMATIC COUPLER FOR TOY CARS This invention relates to toy railways and more particularly to a novel coupler for automatically connecting toy cars, including locomotives, to form a train.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a coupler suitable for use at both ends of a toy car or locomotive and which coupler will become automatically connected with a similar coupler on either end of an adjacent car. j V

A further object of the invention contemplates the connection ofrthe type of coupler embodying this invention to a car body and its associated truck so that couplers on the approaching ends of adjacent cars will be automatically positioned, whereby interconnection without manual manipulation will be assured. With the present type of coupler, approaching carswill be automatically coupled irrespective of the respective angles of adjacent cars, while traveling on straight or curved sections of toy tracks. With the advent of remotely controlled locomotives the need for such a coupling device becomes increasingly apparen A still further object of the invention is to provide a coupler of a single part which is formed at its coupling end in such a manner as to cooperate with its counterpart without necessitating the use of extra parts, such as springs, pins, etc.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a simple, practical and reliable construction that is economical to manufacture, easy to assemble and positive in its operation.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the na-' ture of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the adjacent ends of'two cars on a section of a track, the said cars being equipped with the present improvements and the couplers on each car being in readiness to engage.

Figure 2 shows in vertical section through the end of a car and truck with a coupler disclosed in side elevation attached thereto.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of one end of a car and its associated truck with a coupler attached to the same, the View illustrating in dottedline various positions assumed by the truck and coupler.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of a coupler and the actuating element connected thereto and to a frame part of a truck.

Figure 5 is. a bottom plan view of two couplers interconnected and located in the relative positions they assume when a car equipped with one of the couplers is pushing a car equipped with the other coupler.

Figure 6 is a similar view to Fig. 5 but discloses the couplers arranged in the positions assumed when one car is pulling the ot er.

Figure 7 is a bottom plan View of one I I(goupler with its associated actuating mem- Similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings; 7

As shown, the automatic coupler embodying this inventionconsists of a one-part coupler A which includes a coupling end a at one end of a shank b which has an attaching end 0. The said attaching end is adapted to be pivotally connected to the body portion of a car B, as at d. The coupler further includes an actuator D which is pivotally connected to the coupler A as at d and is rigidly attached to a truck frame E. The truck frame in turn is pivotally connected to the body of the car B, as at the pler upon point 6. This manner of mounting a coua toy train will cause the coupler end a to be properly positioned with respect to a coupler carried on an adjacent car end irrespective of the relative angles of the said cars.

By considering the various figures of the drawing, it will be noted that the coupler end a of a coupler A consists of two di similar branches 1 and 2. The branch 1 extends generally in the direction of the length of the coupler shank Z2 and has an end flange 3 which is turned upwardly with respect to the plane of the branch. This flange 3 fur: thermore is positioned obliquely of the length of the branch 1 with its inner end positioned closer. to the shankportion Z) than its outer end. The inner edge of the branch 1 is formed with an upwardly directed flange 1 which terminates at its outer end in a hook shaped portion 5. This hook shaped portion has a part 5a which depends below the plane of the branch 1 to approximately the plane of thebranch 2, the said branches 1 and 2 being vertically offset with respect to one another as shown, with the branch 2 disposed in a horizontal plane below the plane of the branch 1, whereby, when two of the coupling elements are moved together as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the branches 2, 2 underlie the branches 1, 1 respectively.

The branch 2 of the-coupling end a has an inner edge 6 diverging laterally from the axis of the coupler shank b. This edge is formed with a rounded lug 7 The function performed by this lug will be set forth at a later point. Depending from the outer edge of the branch 2 near the outerend of said branch is a lip 8 which acts as afinger engaging piece for manually disconnecting two interconnected couplers.

The attaching end 0 of the shank 6 consists of a vertical portion 9 having at its upper end a horizontal portion 10 apertured'at 11 for receiving a rivet, or the like 12, by means of which the coupler A is piv oted to the car body B at the point (Z.

Pivoted to the shank Z) of the coupler A,

' as by means of a rivet or the like 13, is

the horizontal end portion 14 of the actuator D. This end portion underlies the shank b of the coupler and has a perpendicular portion 15 extending in parallelism with the portion 9 of the coupler. The upper end of the perpendicular portion 15 is formed with a horizontal bifurcated part 16 having the furcations permanently attached to tlje truck frame E by the rivets, or the like, 1

The frame E is apertured at 18 for the reception of a pivot pin 19 which passes through the body B of a car. At the opposite ends of the central portion 20 of the frame E are the depending lugs 21. Fig. 2

clearly illustrates the lugs 21 as being secured to a truck by a rivet or the like 22.

With the arrangement shown, it will be apparent that the coupler part will always be held in proper position by the trucks so that cars may automatically couple on curves as well as on straight sections of tracks or on adjacent curved and straight sections of tracks. The coupler A also is always maintaincd in a horizontal plane and pivots in that plane. 7

Uponthe approach of two cars, both of which may be moving or one moving and the other standing still, the depending portion 5a of the hooked part 5 of one coupler will engage the inner edge 6 of the branch 2 on the opposing coupler. This engagement of a part 5a with a branch 2 will cause the curved part 5 to travel inwardly along the edge 6 until the hooked part 5 reaches the point of divergence'23 between branches 1 and 2. Fig. 5' discloses the hook shaped parts'5 on adjacent couplers in engagement with thepoints 23. The connected couplers will remain in this relative position as long as one car is pushing another. Should the pushing car change its direction of movement while the hooked 'portions*5 of the two couplers are engaging the points 23, the said hooked portions will travel along the opposed flange 4 until the said hooked portions are in contactwith each other, as illustrated in Fig. 6. F

Due to the angular position of the end flange 3 on the branch 1, the said flange 3 willaidin directing the hookedpartli on an approaching coupler end a toward the branch 2 whereby it will be guided by said branch into proper coupling position.

Whenit' is desired to'eifect uncoupling of the cars, a slight pressure exerted in converging directions upon the lugs 8 of the two opposing couplers will cause the hooked portions 5 to disengage each other, thus releasing the two couplers and disconnecting adjacent cars.

It is possible for the hooked portions 5 to become disengaged and thus release the cars from coupling confinement during the movement of a train, atthe moment; of cutting off power froman attached locomo tive, when the couplers are attheir widest points of divergence, due to 'theltrucksof one car traversing a curved section of track while thertrucks of the following car are still traversing a straight section of track. This objection is overcome, however, by the action of the rounded lug 7 on the outside edge of the hooked portion 5 onthe'opposing coupler. When, as above outlined, thetrai'n is traversing a certain section of track comprising a combination of straight and 'curv ed track sections,'and the source of motive power supplying the locomotive iscut off, the natural tendency of the coupled cars is faces 23 with the result that the wedging or cam action of said flanges against said surfaces tends to throw the couplers relatively outward to an uncoupled position. However, when the flanges 5 reach the rounded surfaces 23 the lugs 7 then cooperate with said flanges to hold the couplers against outward movement and the cars thus are maintained coupled.

\Vithout further description, it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. A car coupler comprising a flat horizontal shank forked at its outer end to pro- *ide a pair of laterally divergent branches one of which is disposed in the plane of the shank and the other of which is downwardly oflset relative to the plane of the shank whereby said branches are adapted,

respectively to overlie and underlie related branches of a counterpart coupler, the first mentioned branch being'upwardly flanged at its outer end and said flange extending diagonally inwardly towards the second mentioned branch, the inner edge of the first mentioned branch having a flange ex tending above and below the plane of said branch and said flange terminating at the outer end of said branch in an inwardly opening hook formation disposed approximately in the medial vertical plane of the shank and having its free end disposed rearwardly of its medial rear face for cooperation with the hook formation of a companion coupler, and a protuberance projecting from the inner edge of the second mentioned branch to be engaged by the hook formation of a companion coupler to hold the hook formations of the couplers alined during buff.

2. An automatic coupler for toy cars comprising a one-piece shank member forked at its outer end to provide two laterally divergent branches one of which is downwardly deflected relative to the horizontal plane of the shank and of the other branch, the undeflected branch being provided at its inside corner with an inwardly opening hook projecting above and below the plane of said undeflected branch and into the plane of the deflected branch and having its free end disposed medially in the space between the two branches, said undeflected branch being also provided outside of its hook with an oblique outer edge, the said downwardly deflected branch of the coupler shank being provided at its inside edge with a guard projection for engagement with the hook of the companion coupler.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

HARRY S BECKER. 

